Cheshire County NH

Early Settlement of Keene, New Hampshire

Up to the winter of 1736 no person had remained in the town during that season. Those who came in the summer to clear their lands brought their provisions with them, and erected temporary huts to shelter them from the weather. But during that summer, Nathan Blake and Seth Heaton, from Wrentham, and William Smeed, from Deerfield, made preparation to pass the winter in the wilderness. Their house was at the south end of Main street. Their stock consisted of a yoke of oxen and a pair of horses, one of the latter belonging to Heaton and the others to … Read more

Fair Grounds And Trotting Park of Keene, NH

The Cheshire County Agricultural Society has grounds here, twenty-six acres in extent, with all the buildings and accessories necessary to a firstclass exhibition, which annually is made. In laying out the grounds the forest trees were permitted to stand along the avenues where the cattle pens are located, so that visitors may view the specimens and be well protected from sun or rain. The grounds are about a mile and a half distant from the cityhall. The Agricultural Society was organized January 16, 1850, when Salma Hale, of Keene, was chosen president; A. B. Hodskins, of Walpole, Edmund Jones, of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Hildreth

Jonathan Hildreth settled in Westmoreland as early as 1751, and moved to this town about 1763, settling on the farm now owned by Watson Wheeler. He was selectman in 1767, ’70, ’79. Lotan, son of Jonathan, was born March 29, 1763, married Sarah Pierce, and died June 3, 1812. Africa, one of his eleven children, was born April 1, 1797, married twice, first. Mariam Blanchard, and second, Mary Blanchard, a sister of his first wife. He died Tune 22, 1869. His children were as follows: Frances A., Cyrus C., Louisa E., Henry S., Lotan B., John W., George L., Elathine … Read more

Biography of Bethel Field

The ancestors of the Field family, of Chesterfield, were of old Puritan stock, who settled in Taunton, Mass., early in colonial times, where many of their descendants still live. Bethuel, son of Nathaniel Field, of Taunton, married Sally Lincoln, of Norton, Mass., and settled in Chesterfield, in 1819 or ’20. “He was somewhat given to accounts, being a ‘Squire,’ and a prominent man in town matters.” He died in 1847, Mrs. Field surviving him until 1867. Jessie Field, one of their ten children, born November 3, 1811, inherited his mother’s refined sensibilities and his father’s good sense and mental acumen; … Read more

Biography of Henry Hooker

Rev. John Hooker, born March 28, 1729, ordained pastor of the Congregational church of Northfield, Mass., was the father of Seth Hooker, who was born October 22. 1759. The latter married Abigail Gay, daughter of Rev. Bunker Gay, May 5, 1789, and settled on the farm of his wife’s father, in Hinsdale, where he continued to reside until his death, May 31, 1844, aged eighty-four years. His children were Sally Gay, born December 25, 1789 and died January 12, 1797. Henry, born July 5, 1791, in Charlestown, N. H.. married Mary Dagget, of Westmoreland, October 23, 1816. In early life … Read more

The First Universalist Society of East Jaffrey, NH

The First Universalist society, at East Jaffrey, was organized November 16, 1822, and re-organized in 1858, with twenty-five members. Rev. Dolphus Skinner was the first pastor. Their church building, erected in 1844, will seat 275 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $3,000 00. The society now has about sixty members, with Dr. Sawyer pastor. Their Sabbath-school, organized in 1845, has thirty-five scholars.

Biographical Sketch of Azel R. Emerson

Azel R. Emerson, son of Hazen, and grandson of Richard, who came t Alstead from Haverhill, Mass., in 1786, was born December 29, 1822. H lived with his father upon the farm until twenty-one years of age, taught school two terms, and in 1847 started, with O. F. Beckwith, the first iron foundry and plow manufactory in Alstead. In 1849 he purchased Mr. Beckwith’s interest, and in 1893 sold out the business. In 1854 he was elected selectman of the town, and later on removed to Hinsdale, N. H., where t engaged in the foundry, machine and agricultural, implement business, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lauson Robertson

Lauson Robertson, son of Alexander, was born in the town of Chesterfield, N. H., April 23, 1811, in the western part of the town. When a young man he worked in a store for Oscar Cooledge, in his native town. October 13, 1835, he married Edith, daughter of John Harris, of Chesterfield, and came to the town of Alstead and located at the Center, where he kept a store. He remained there for five years when he sold out and removed to what was known as Paper Mill Village, now Alstead, and purchased the hotel and brick store opposite. Here … Read more

Biography of Josiah Cooke

Josiah Cooke, from Coventry, Conn., came to Alstead in 1774. He married Huldah Bassett for his first wife, Lucy Desmond for his second, and reared one son and two daughters. The son, Capt. Josiah, married Sarah Emerson, who bore him three sons and two daughters-John, Arva. Beniah, Polly and Sarah. John married Eunice Parker, rearing one son and one daughter, the latter of whom, Philetta, resides in town. Arva married Rhoda Willard, who bore him five children, three of whom are living. lie was a farmer, served the town as selectman, and died in 1844, aged forty-nine years. His eldest … Read more

Keene Congregational (Unitarian) Society of Keene, NH

Keene Congregational ( Unitarian) Society. – The Unitarian Society was organized March 18, 1824. They had occasional preaching during the year. On the thirtieth of August, of the same year, a call was extended to the Rev. Samuel Barrett, to become the pastor, but he declined the invitation. Mr. Barrett was a graduate of Harvard, in the class of 1818, of the Harvard Divinity school, in 1822, and received the degree of 1)- D., from Harvard in 1847. He was a scholarly and cultivated gentleman. In 1825 he became the first pastor of the Twelfth Congregational (Unitarian) Society of Boston, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Gowing Jr.

James Gowing, Jr., of Scotch descent, came to Dublin, from Lynnfield, Mass., in 1788, married Abigail Greenwood, in 1772, and reared eight children. His father, James, Sr., settled in Jaffrey in 1777. Joseph, son of James, Jr., and father of Charles W., was captain of the Dublin Grenadiers Almerin, the fourth child, born October 1, 1799, married Sarah Sanders in 1826. He was selectman in 1837-39, and was captain of the Dublin Grenadiers. George A., the eldest son of six children, born December 8, 1827, married Lydia S., daughter of Benjamin Perry, October 15, 1850, and has two sons, Clifford … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Holbrook

John Holbrook, son of John, was born in Uxbridge, Mass., August, 17, 1788. He married Mercy Hill, came to Swanzey in 1802, and located in the southern part of the town on the farm now owned by Israel Gun. He was a carpenter and wheelwright, and died in 1838. Five of his ten children are living, two of them, Sophia, widow of Carlistine Blake, and Daniel H., residing in Keene. The latter was born at Swanzey January 8, 1806. He received a common school education, and was engaged as a farmer and manufacturer of and dealer in lumber until his … Read more

Lodema Hepsibah Todd Ketcham of Richland City WI

KETCHAM, Lodema Hepsibah Todd8, (Caleb7, Jehiel6, Stephen5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Oct. 25, 1828, in Hinsdale, N. H., died April 19, 1891, married Dec. 31, 1856, William Ketcham, who was born May 24, 1819, died Sept. 14, 1879. Their children were all born in Richland City, Wis., where also they both died. He represented his district in the state Legislature several years. Children: I. Charles Bates, b. Feb. 8, 1858. II. William Jagger, b. March 21, 1859. III. Abigail Rebecca, b. April 5, 1863, d. April 10, 1863. IV. Maggie Louise, b. Jan. 8, 1865, d. Aug. 8, 1879.

Biographical Sketch of David Holman

David Holman settled in Chesterfield about 1805, married twice, first, Mehitable Gale, and second, Mrs. Laura (Stone) Henry. He had two children, James, an adopted son, and Ella F. The former married Mary Falkner in 1824, who died August 31, 1841. He died April 28, 1844, aged thirtyfive years. His children were David, Hetta, William, Jason R., Sarah J., Esther M., Cynthia, George and Henry M. David, son of James, was born January 5, 1825, and married Sarah R., daughter of Ara Hamilton, April 27, 1848. He was selectman in 1879 and 1882. His children are Frederick H., Alice M., … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Spencer

James Spencer was born at Springfield, Vt., in May, 1819. He learned the blacksmith trade there, married Susan M. McCrae. and reared two children, J. H. and Susan A. The former is a blacksmith in Keene, and the latter is the wife of H. P. Ware and resides in Alstead. James came to Alstead about 1846 and was engaged in the blacksmith business here. He was a celebrated clarionet player and died February 18, 1883. His widow resides in Keene, aged sixty-three years.

History of Maufacturing in Harrisville, NH

C. & H Farwell’s saw-mill and clothes pin factory, located on road 24, corner of 21, was established by them in 1871. They employ twelve men, and manufacture about l00,000 feet of coarse lumber, and about 15,000 boxes of 720 clothes-pins each, per year. S. T Symonds & Son’s pail handle and knife tray factory, located on road 151, was established by Bemis & Symonds, in 1849, and came under the control of the present firm about 1879. They employ six men, with the capacity for turning out 6,000,000 handles, besides a large number of knife trays and pastry boards … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ziba Mason

Ziba Mason settled at an early date upon the farm now occupied by George F. Wise, where he died about 1845. His son Ziba, born on the old place, died here about 1862, aged sixty-three years. The latter’s son, William M., born on the old homestead, is now a merchant of Marlboro and represented the town in 1865-66.

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Scott

Joseph Scott was a native of Lancashire, England. Thomas, one of his five children, married a Miss Welch and reared a family of six children. His son John S. married four times, first, Alice Wilder; second, Lucy Tollman; third, Louisa Wilder; and fourth, Sarah A. Hodge. He has three children and resides upon a farm on road 45.

Biographical Sketch of Captain Noah

Captain Noah, the father, was a man of great physical strength and endurance, and of sound common sense, a man strictly honest and upright in all his dealings and taught his children to be truthful, honest, and industrious, both by precept and example. His business in early life was farming till he was about thirty, when by an accident he lost one limb below the knee. After that, his business was mostly that of shoe making, and harness making, until his death. Seven of this family were living in January 1885. Silas, whose name stands at the head of this … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Asa Fisk

Asa Fisk came to what is now Harrisville, from Rutland, Mass., in 1800 or 1801, and settled on the farm where his grandson, Levi W., now lives, and died there in 1829. His son Parker, eight years of age when he came here with his father, reared six children, only three of whom lived to maturity, and occupied the home farm until his death, in October, 1866. Levi W. married May B. Priest, of Hancock, N. H., who died in 1863, and lives on the old homestead.